Shloka 40
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
स्थानेष्वेतेषु यो योगी महाव्रतसमाहित: । आत्मना सूक्ष्ममात्मानं युद्धक्ते सम्यग्विशाम्पते
sthāneṣv eteṣu yo yogī mahāvrata-samāhitaḥ | ātmanā sūkṣmam ātmānaṁ yujyate samyag viśāṁ-pate ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai penguasa rakyat! Seorang yogin yang teguh dalam mahāvrata dan terkumpul mantap dalam batin, menyatukan ātman yang halus dengan Paramātman melalui dhāraṇā pada pusat-pusat itu. Bila ia menghendaki, ia segera membakar tumpukan karma baik dan buruknya yang laksana gunung; dengan berlindung pada yoga tertinggi, ia mencapai pembebasan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Through disciplined vows and one-pointed concentration (dhāraṇā) at specific inner loci, the yogin unites the subtle self with the Supreme; this higher yoga can rapidly consume accumulated good and bad karma, culminating in liberation.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to the king, Bhishma continues his exposition on yogic practice and liberation, describing how a focused ascetic uses meditative concentration to transcend karmic accumulation and attain moksha.